1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a diagnostic test method for detecting malignant neoplasms.
2. Description of the Prior Art
New methods for the detection of cancer are clearly needed. In many cases early diagnosis of cancer would greatly improve chances for effecting a complete remission of the disease.
The literature describes previous attempts to demonstrate the presence of tumor-specific components such as hormones and antigens in the blood of cancer patients. Such attempts have been largely unsuccessful, however, and a practical, noninvasive diagnostic procedure based on the level of a tumor-specific serum component has remained up to now an elusive goal.
Recently DNA-binding proteins have been found in serum of patients with neoplasias, systemic lupus erythematosus and other inflammatory disorders [see, for example, FEBS Letters 92(2):211-213 (1978); Europ. J. Biochem. 71:1-8 (1976); Amer. J. Med. 65:437-445 (1978)]. No provision of a suitable assay procedure for such serum proteins has been made, however, which would be necessary for a practical diagnostic method. Moreover, the serum proteins previously described do not appear to show the degree of selectivity desired in a cancer screening method.
The inhibitor serum protein utilized in the present invention is disclosed in The Pharmacologists (Abs.) 20(3):238 (1978). The abstract, however, gives no indication that the protein is present at different levels in patients having cancer than in cancer-free patients.